During the retailer’s second-quarter earnings call last week, executives indicated they would “push back” against proposed price increases from brand suppliers and advocate for manufacturers to invest more in lower prices.

“I hope our brand suppliers are investing in pricing, and we see that from some, we don’t see that from others. We have less upward pressure, but some are still talking about cost increases, and we are aggressively fighting back against that because we believe prices need to come down,” CEO Doug McMillon told investors on Aug. 15.

The retailer’s potentially unpopular but influential position comes at a time when consumers are feeling pressured by higher prices and are responding positively to Walmart’s value proposition.

“We are focused on delivering low prices to our customers and members every day, and we manage U.S. prices to match competitive price differentials. Customers and members are responding to our value proposition. We are seeing continued sales growth, market share gains and higher gross margins. We are demonstrating that we can grow our business sustainably without price inflation,” said John David Rainey, Walmart’s EVP and chief financial officer, during the conference call.

The lower prices enabled Walmart to see “greater participation across all income groups,” led by “upper-income households … while simultaneously increasing our sales and market share among middle- and lower-income households,” he added.